Terms and Slang -- Lower Class and Underworld

Notes:
c = Cant

A-swame
Fainting
Abject
To cast out. To reject.
Abram, Abraham
(c) a lunatic or mad; naked.
Abram-man, Abraham-man
(c) a category of vagrant who excited sympathy or
fear in onlookers by feigning madness.
Abroach, To Set
Tto let the liquid out of a cask.
Ace
(c) A one on a die.
Action-taking
An insult of social position.
Advoutery
Adultery.
Affiance
Confidence, trust.
Agnus Dei
A wax disc imprinted with the Lamb of God and the
crossed keys of the Papacy, and has been
blessed by the Pope.
Ague
Malaria
Alderman
The elected representative of a Ward to the City
Council.
Ale-bush
Inn sign, Inn.
All Hallows
(c) Toll collector's office at market.
Altham
(c) Wife of a vagabond.
Amerce
To fine (as a legal punishment)
Ames-ace
A term of contempt, referring to
"snake-eyes" on dice.
Amort, all
Out of spirits.
Angel
A gold coin, value 10 shillings.
Angler
(c) A thief who uses a hook on a line, also Hookman,
Curber or Hooker.
Antic
A clown or merry-andrew.
Apple-squire
(c) Pimp.
Apronman
A workman or mechanic.
Apt
To make fit, adapt.
Aqua Fortis
Nitric Acid
Aqua Vitae
"Water of Life"; Whisky or Brandy
Armour of proof
Strong armor of tested quality.
Arquebus
A Firearm, matchlock or Wheellock (the term has both
a technical and a general meaning --
this is the general meaning).
Arrant
1.(subs.) Errand. 2.(Adj) Itinerant, Downright. An
insult of social position.
Ass
An insult of an intellectual character
Ataunt
Drunk (see Taunt)
Autem
(c) A Church.
Autem-mort
(c) A married, female vagrant.
Backsword
Heavy single edged short sword
Bailie
Bailiff, Sherrif or Constable's officer
Bale (of Dice)
(c) 2-3 matched dice, the set required for any game.
Ballow
(North Midlands) Cudgel
Balter, Baltered
(North Midlands) To Matt, Matted.
Band, falling
Flat plain linen collar worn instead of a ruff.
Bandog
A fierce watchdog.
Bandore
Stringed musical instrument like a Lute or Guitar.
Barb, or Barbary Horse
A breed of horse from "Barbery" or Berber,
coast of the Mediteranean. Smaller than the
Arabian.
Barber-monger
An insult of social position.
Barnard, Barnacle
(c) A member of a group of swindlers; he first
appears to be the victim of a joke in which
the dupe takes part.
Barnard's law
(c) A special "department" of the
cony-catcher's craft. The dupe is persuaded to think he is
cheating others.
Barred Dice
(c) See Dicing terms.
Bartholomew Babies
Dolls similar to those sold at Bartholomew Fair.
Base
An insult of social position.
Bash
To be put out of contenance.
Basil
A fetter
Basilisco
A piece of heavy ordinance, cannon.
Basinet
A round, bowl-like pot helm.
Bat-fowling
(c) Cony catching at cards.
Bate
Strife or Dicord.
Batlet
A bat used to beat clothes in the wash
Batteler
A rank among the poor students at Oxford.
Bauer
Beaver, the lower face portion of the helmet.
Bausan
(French, Bausant, Baucens, Baucyn; Italian, Balzano;
Middle English, Bausond) Horse colors:
"white spots on a colored background",
hence Baybauson, Sorbauson, Sorelbauson, etc. May
refer to white points.
Bawd
A lower class woman, generally a prostitute.
Bawdy Basket
(c) Name for a peddling woman.
Bawker
(c) a rougish player in a Bowling Alley who has
confederates in the audience.
Bay
(French, Bai; Spanish, Bayo; Latin, Badius) Horse
colors: A chestnut colored body (Light,
bright, dark, or brown) with black points. It is the
black points that distinguish a bay from
a chestnut.
Bayamblanc
(French) Horse colors: Bay or Chestnut with white
points.
Baybauson
(French) Horse colors: Bay or Chestnut with white
spots.
Bayclere
(French) Horse colors: A brightly colored bay.
Beadle
1. One who makes a proclamation for another, or who
bears another's warrant or mandate for
a duty. 2. A Herald, or crier. 3. An under-baliff or
tipstaff. 4. An officer appointed by a
Parish to keep order in church, to punish petty
offenders and act as messenger of the Parish
in general. 5. A Parish Constable.
Beak
1. To season by heat. 2. (c) Magistrate
Beast
A bestial insult
Beater
(c) Taker-up, the first person in a group of Cony-
catchers to introduce himself to the dupe.
Beaupere
Companion
Beck
Constable
Beggarly
An insult of social position.
Bell-Brow
(c) A place where one might find a receiver of stolen
property.
Bellman
Watchman or Town Crier.
Belly Cheat
(c) Apron
Bench-whistler
Idler
Bene
(c) Good.
Bene faker of Gybes
(c) One who manufactures false passes, licences, etc.
Beneship
(c) Very Good, Goodness.
Beray
Befoul
Bestraighted
Distraught
Bett
Past tense and participle of "To Beat"
Bevor
A piece of plate armor protecting the throat and
chin.
Biggin
Close fitting cap worn by babies.
Billman
(arch.) a Member of the watch who carried a Bill.
Bing
(c) To go.
Bing a waste!
(c) Go you hence!, Bugger off!
Bird
(c) A cozener's dupe.
Bit
Bite. Coin or Money.
Black Boy
Black Coat Parson, Priest
Black Jack
Leather drinking mug, tarred on the outside. Also
Jack.
Bleater
Victim of a "Jack in a box" (q.v.)
Bleating Cheat
(c) Calf or sheep
Blood
A fast or foppish man.
Blow
Inform.
Blower
Informer.
Blue Bottle
Constable
Blue Coat
Beadle or servant in livery
Bob
1. To steal from a person; 2. To make fun of a
person.
Boil
(c) To betray.
Boll
To drink.
Bolt
1. A roll off textile fabric; 2. To stir.
Bombast
Stuffing for clothes.
Boon
Good?
Boot-haler
A freebooter or a Brigand.
Booty
(c) 1. A form of play that begins with one player
intentionally losing to encourage their
opponent to Gamble more readily. 2. The money thereby
gained.
Bord
(c) A shilling.
Borsholder
A petty constable.
Boun
To get onesself ready
Bouse
(c) 1. Alcoholic Drink; 2. To consume such.
Bousing ken
(c) Ale house.
Brabble
To quarrel.
Brach
A bitch hound.
Brazen-faced
An insult of a moral nature
Bread sippets
Slices of toast laid under meat to soak up juices
Bribering
Stealing
Bristle Dice
(c) See Dicing Terms.
Broomman
A street sweeper or scavenger.
Buck
1. Large wooden tub with a lid; 2. Clothes prepared
for washing; 3. The water involved. 4.
The action of washing the clothes.
Budge a beak
(c) To Flee from Justice.
Budget
A bag or wallet.
Bufe, Bugher
(c)(Bufay or Buufer) A dog.
Bully rook
Fine fellow
Bung
(c) A purse, a pocket.
Buy
(c) A purse.
By heaven
An emphatic oath
By my troth
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
By St George
An emphatic oath
By the Mass
An emphatic oath
By the Rood
An emphatic oath
By this hand
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
By this light
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
By'r lady
An emphatic oath
Cackling-cheat
(c) Cock, capon, chicken
Cacodaemon
An evil spirit.
Caitiff
An insult of social position.
Calenture
A stroke
Caliver
A light Musket, a Carbine
Callet
A drab.
Canary
A fortified wine
Candlemas
February 2 and the Feast of the Purification of the
Virgin.
Canions
Loose breeches, usually worn as undergarments.
Cannikin
(c) The plague.
Cannon, Lower
Piece of plate armor protecting the lower arm. Also
called a Vambrace.
Cannon, Upper
Piece of plate armor protecting the upper arm.
Canon Law
The body of law, apart from the common law, which was
applied in ecclesiastical courts, and
related mainly to religious and Church matters.
Cant
(c) 1. The creole and jargon spoken by thieves,
beggers, and vagabonds. 2. To speak this
secret language. 3. To beg in a whining fashion.
Cantel
The protuberant part at the rear of a saddle.
Cap-case
Traveling bag.
Capon
A bestial insult
Carcanet
A collar of Jewels.
Carl
A common fellow, a country man.
Carrel
A cubbyhole office in a library or a cloister.
Casson
(c) Cheese.
Cast
1. Condemn. 2. Overthrow.
Caster
(c) Cloak
Castle
(c) v. To See or Look
Catchpole
An officer employed for making arrests.
Cater
1. A person who buys provisions, or caters. 2.
(c) a four on a die.
Cates
Foodstuffs or victuals.
Caudel
Hot, spiced wine made with gruel
Caul
A spider's web.
Cautel
Precaution or wariness.
Cent/Sant
A card game whose goal is to win a hundred points.
Chafer
A saucepan.
Chapman
A trader, a salesman, a bargainer.
Charger
A serving dish
Charm
(c) A person that picks locks.
Cheap
To trade or Bargain.
Cheaped
Something gained at a bargain.
Cheat
1. A fine, forfeiture or reversion that falls to a
landlord. 2. (c) A gallows or gibbit. 3.
(c) Anything (usually preceeded by a qualifying word,
such as Bleating Cheat "Sheep"). 4.
(c) A false die.
Cheats/Chats
Gallows
Chepemans
(c) Cheapside Market.
Chestnut
Horse colors: A chestnut colored body (Light, bright,
dark, or brown) with points of the same
color.
Chip
A worthless thing.
Chop a card
To change a card's place in the deck secretly.
Chop
To buy and sell.
Chopping
Vigorous, "Strapping"
Christendom
The Christian World as a whole.
Churl
An insult of social position.
Churlish
An insult of social position.
Cinque
(c) A five on a die.
Citron
A pale yellow color
Clapperdudgeon
(c) 1. Chief Beggar. 2. A beggar born. 3. A term of
reproach.
Clark
Clerk
Clewner
(c) Chiefman among Rogers, or beggars pretending
scholarship.
Cleym
(c) A sore.
Clink, the
(c) A debtor's prison
Clinker
To cause to shrink.
Close stool
A chamber pot hidden inside a seat with a lid.
Clothman
A clothier.
Cloy
(c) To "snap," steal, obstruct, or
encumber.
Cloyed
(c) To be intruded upon by others claiming a share.
Cly
(c) To steal or seize.
Cly the jerk
(c) To be whipped.
Clyster thread
(c) A thread inserted into the skin to caused a
localized irritation believed to draw the
infection away from another part of the body.
Coads
An emphatic oath
Coads-nigs
An emphatic oath
Cob
A short legged stout type of horse for riding. Not a
special breed.
Cockle/Corncockle
A weed of cultivation.
Cocklorel
An insult of a moral nature
Codso
A "spicy" oath, a rude word ("God's
Own"?)
Coffe
Cough
Cog
1. A type of cargo ship. 2. (c) a coin. 3. (c)
To cheat at dice or cards, or otherwise
practice deceit.
Coif
1. A close fitting head covering with a whole for the
face, such as those worn by Nuns. 2.
A Mail hood worn by men at arms.
Coistril
An insult of social position.
Cokes
An insult of an intellectual character
Cole
(c) A cheating knave.
Collops
Chops of meat
Colour
1. Pretence. 2. A false appearance of correctness.
Colt
(c) 1. A cheating knave. 2. An innkeeper who becomes
the victim of rank-riders.
Comfits
Sweets
Commission
(c) Shirt
Commodity
(c) 1. Advantage, Profit. 2. A parcel of goods handed
over by a money lender instead of money
("a commodity of brown paper"). 3. A
Prostitute.
Complected
The balance of one's humours (shown in your face)
Conceit, to take a
To sicken of some morbid affection.
Congee
To make a ceremonious bow.
Conject
To devise or plot.
Contraries
(c) False dice with an opposite tendency to those
that are in play.
Conveyance
(c) A trick or piece of roguery.
Conycatch
(c) To Con or Cheat
Cope
To fasten up a ferret's mouth.
Copesmate
(c) Associate, Comrade.
Copy, to change one's
To alter ones behavior.
Cornipes
A Horse.
Cornuto
A cuckold (literally, "Furnished with
horns")
Corporal Oath
Corporale Juramentum, taken while touching a sacred
object.
Corsie
A corrosive.
Costiveness
Constipation
Cote-Card
Court or face card.
Couch a hogshead
(c)To lie down to sleep.
Couch
A form of embroidery.
Counsellor
Solicitor, Advising barrister.
Country
Often used in the place of "County", ergo a
"Countryman of mine" means a person from my
county.
Couples
Pairs of leashes holding two hunting dogs.
Courtesy-man
(c) The spokesman of a company of beggars pretending
to be ex-soldiers; any speaker for a
group of others.
Courtlax
Cutlass
Cousin
A dupe.
Couter A piece of plate armor protecting the elbow joint. (Aka "Elbow Cop")
Cove
(c) A man, person, or fellow.
Covert
Protection, shelter
Covetise
Couvetousness.
Coxcomb
An insult of an intellectual character
Crack
Talk, big, boast, brag.
Crackmans
(c) a Hedge.
Cramp-rings
(c) Fetters.
Crank, The
(c) Epilepsy, or the "Falling Sickness". A
"counterfeit crank" is one who pretends to be an
epileptic.
Cranmoisie
Dark, black currant-red color
Crashing cheats
(c) Teeth.
Crassing cheats
(c) Apples, pears and other fruits.
Cravant
Craven.
Creeping Law
(c) The craft of those who follow petty thievery in
the suburbs, burglary.
Cross
A Coin (a penny?).
Cross-lay
(c) A wager meant to deceive the company as to the
caller's intent.
Crossbiter
(c) A swindler or trickster; often with the special
sense of one who extorts money by threats
from a man found in a compromising position with a
woman; one who runs a Badger Game.
Cruse
A type of clay jar
Cuds-me
An emphatic oath
Cue Half a farthing.
Cuffin
(c) A man, fellow.
Cuir Boulli
Leather that has been hardened by the application of
boiling water.
Cullionly
An insult of social position.
Cur
A bestial insult
Curb
(c) The curber/angler/hooksman's hook.
Curber
(c) See Angler.
Cursitor
A Wanderer, vagabond, or tramp.
Curtal
"Curtail" 1. A small piece of artillery. 2.
A horse with a docked tail. 3. Used as a term of
abuse. 4. (c) A vagabond who wears a short cloak.
Cushnet
A little cushion.
Cut
(c) To speak or say.
Cut Bene Whids, to
(c) To speak properly, or truely.
Cut benely, to
(c) To speak in the fashion of one of gentle birth.
Cuttle
Knife
Cuttle-Bung
(c) A cutpurse's knife.
Dag
Pistol
Dappled
Horse colors: Marked with round apple sized spots.
Therefore a "dapple gray" horse has dark
spots on a gray background.
Darkmans
(c) The night.
Dauphin
(French) The heir to the French Throne.
Dead Spaniard
A gray brown color
Decoy
A card game.
Dell
(c) A young vagrant woman.
Demander
(c) One who gains monies through menace.
Demanders for glimmer
(c) Beggers who seek relief on the plea that thier
homes and goods have been burnt.
Demi or Demi-bar
(c) A false die that has hone half the usual Bias.
Denier
A penny (from the French for 1/12 of a sou)
Deuce
A two on dice.
Deuce-ace
"two-one", Acey-Deucy roll on dice.
Devonshire Kersey
A form of rough cloth, originally from Devonshire.
Dewse-a-vill
(c) The country, as opposed to the Town.
Dicker
Half-score, or ten.
Dickering and Doddering
Shivering.
Dish of coals
A frying pan containing hot coals with a griddle on
top.
Dispence
Heavy spending.
Diver
(c) Snakesman.
Doddypol
A foolish person.
Dodkin
"Doit", a Dutch Coin, or any small coin.
Dog
A bestial insult
Dorsermaker
Maker of Panniers.
Dosser
Basket.
Dottrel
1. Kind of Plover. 2. An easy prey.
Doxy
(c) A female vagabond, travelling usually with a man.
Draw
(c) To pick a pocket.
Draw-latch
A petty thief.
Drift
A scheme.
Drigger
(c) A thief.
Drink Tobacco
To draw in, or inhale tobacco smoke.
Drover
(c) A cheating horse-dealer in Smithfield Market.
Drug
Drudge.
Dry-vat
A box or cask for dry goods.
Duds
(c) 1. Clothes ("lag of duds" a
washbundle). 2. Things in general.
Duke of Exeter's daughter
The Rack, imported by the D.of Exeter in Henry VIII's
time.
Dummerer
(c) A begger who feigns dumbness.
Dun
From the Saxon "Dun" or Chestnut-brown
Horse colors: A dull or dingy brown. If nearly gray,
it may be called "Blue-dun", if almost
brown a "Golden" oir "Yellow dun". Dun Horses MAY have
black points.
Dup
To open (a door or gate)
Dure
Endure.
Eater of broken meats
An insult of social position (indicating that the
person eats other people's leftovers).
Faith
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
False
An insult of a moral nature
Fauvus
(Latin; French, Fauve; Italian, Falbo) Horse colors:
Tawny, or Brown with a preponderance of
yellow or orange.
Ferrandus
(Latin; French, Ferraunt) Horse colors: Iron gray.
Ferrantamblanc
(French) Horse colors: Iron Gray with white points.
Ferrauntpompyle
(French) Horse colors: Iron gray with darker, apple
sized spots.
Fig of Spain
A rude gesture, consisting of a fist with the
thumb inserted through the first or second
fingers. It is indicative of the female
genitalia.
Filch
(c) a thief.
Filthy
An insult of a health nature.
Finical
An insult of social position.
Flense
To skin.
Flux
Dysentery.
Foin
(1) Stab with a spear (2) To engage in sexual
congress.
Fool
An insult of an intellectual character
Foolish
An insult of an intellectual character
Footpad
Mugger
'Fore God
An emphatic oath
Foresworn
An insult of a moral nature
Forsooth
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
French Pox
The Spanish Disease, the English Curse.
Gallow
To Frighten
Geck
A fool
Gelding
A castrated horse, a form of horse not generally used
in Western Europe until the Sixteenth
Century because they were considered timid and
unsuitable for war. The French call geldings
Hongre (or Hungarian) horses, while the Germans
called them Wallach (Wallachians).
Glass-gazing
An insult of a social or moral nature (I *think*
suggesting that the person is a fortune
teller).
God 'a mercy (God have mercy)
An emphatic oath
God's 'zounds)
A "spicy" oath
God's Arms
A "spicy" oath
God's blessed mother
A "spicy" oath
God's blessed will
A "spicy" oath
God's Blood (= 'Slud)
A "spicy" oath
God's Body (Bodikins)
A "spicy" oath
God's Bones
A "spicy" oath
God's Bread
A "spicy" oath
God's Corpus
A "spicy" oath
God's Crown
A "spicy" oath
God's Death
A "spicy" oath
God's Dignity
A "spicy" oath
God's Feet
A "spicy" oath
God's Flesh (=Fish)
A "spicy" oath
God's Foot
A "spicy" oath
God's Fury
A "spicy" oath
God's Gown
A "spicy" oath
God's Hat
A "spicy" oath
God's Heart (= Heartlings)
A "spicy" oath
God's Hook ('zooks)
A "spicy" oath
God's Lid
A "spicy" oath
God's Lids
A "spicy" oath
God's Life (= Lifelings)
A "spicy" oath
God's Light]
A "spicy" oath
God's Loaves
A "spicy" oath
God's Malt
A "spicy" oath
God's Mercy/vengence
An emphatic oath
God's Nails
A "spicy" oath
God's Name
A "spicy" oath
God's Nigs
A "spicy" oath
God's Pity (pittikins)
A "spicy" oath
God's Plenty
A "spicy" oath
God's precious blood ['sprecious]
A "spicy" oath
God's Teeth
A "spicy" oath
God's truth
An emphatic oath
God's Wounds (= nons
A "spicy" oath
Goodman/Goodwife
A term or respect for a common person, one down from
Mister or
Gorget
A plate protecting the neck or throat.
Gossip
("God-sibling") An old friend, especially
female.
Greave
A Piece of armor that protects the shin and calf
region.
Grisel
(French) Horse colors: Gray
Griselferraunt
(French) Horse colors: Gray with Iron gray points.
Grisliard
(French) Horse colors: Very small spots of white on a
gray background, with the gray
predominating.
Groat
A silver four pence piece.
Halberd
A polearem that is still carried by the Yeoman of the
Guard.
Haquenai
(French)[Middle English, Hakene] Though the modern
Hackney has both Arab and Thoroughbred
blood in its veins, the Haquenai is recorded at least
as 1300, or three hundred years before
the Thoroughbred. It was certainly a riding horse,
usually small, and sometimes a pacing
horse; Often also a horse let out for hire.
Highmen/lowmen
(c) False dice altered to throw High/low.
Hobyn
[Hobi, Hobin] A hobby -- a small horse or middlesized
pony from Ireland, introduced into
England and Scotland towards the end of the
Thirteenth Century. By the end of the Fifteenth
Century the term sometimes denoted a small pacing
horse or ambler
Honey-stalk
A regionalism used to denote stalks of clover
Hongre
(French, Cheval Hongre) A gelding.
Hookman
(c) Hooker, or a thief who uses a long hook to steal
things
through open windows.
Horse Coper
Farrier or Blacksmith.
Humour A concept basic to Elizabethan Medicine -- everyone has a _predominant_ Humour.
Blood (Sanguine humour) (Semen is White hot blood)
Phlem (Phlegmatic humour)
Yellow Bile(Choleric humour)
Black Bile(Melancholic humour) - Melanchia/Depression
Hundred-pound
An insult of social position.
I' faith/In faith
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
Iconoclasts
Protestant religious hooligans who destry images on
the grounds
that these are Idolatrous.
In good earnest
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
Inkhorn terms
Old, little known words used for obfuscation
Jackanapes
A bestial insult
Jakes
Privy. Toilet.
Jennet
(Spanish, Jineta; French, Genet) A small Spanish
horse; also a light horseman.
Jesu
An emphatic oath
Jordan
Chamber pot
Knave
Knavish. An insult of social position.
La
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children, and used mostly by women
Leman
(arch.) male or female lover
Liard
(French)[Lyart, lyard] Horse colors: Very small spots
of white on a gray background, or vice
versa, giving a silvery gray appearance.
Lily-livered
An insult of social position.
Lour
(c) Money
Lousy (Louse ridden)
An insult of a health nature.
Lurdane
An insult of a moral nature
Lying
An insult of a moral nature
Marchpane
Marzipan
Marrano
A Portuguese Sephardic Jew
Marry
An emphatic oath
Marry gip
An emphatic oath
Melancholia
Depression
Mint
(c) Gold
Mobled
Muffled
Morel (French) Horse colors: Shiney Black.
Murrey
Dull brown purple color
Nasal
A metal bar sometimes fitted to a pot helm to cover
the nose.
Natural
An insult of an intellectual character
Nightrail
Nightgown
Nithing
(arch.) Wimp
Nonny-nonny
A term of indelicate allusion, based on the practice
of using these words to render rude
Italian songs.
Od rabbit it
An emphatic oath
Od rat it
An emphatic oath
Od save us
An emphatic oath
On my conscience
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
One that wouldst be a bawd
An insult of a moral nature
One-trunk-inheriting
An insult of social position.
Orangado
A Seville Orange, partially hollowed and filled with
sugar.
Ordinary, the
The set meal at an Inn, often stew thickedned with
vegetables
and bread. "The special"
Palliard
(c) Begger
Pandar
An insult of a moral nature
Pannam
(c) Bread
Papal Bull
A decree issued by the Pope. Their title is normally
the first few words in Latin of the
text.
Pardy
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
Pash
Smash
Passado
Early version of the fencing lunge.
Patten
A large wooden overshoe worn to protect the slippers.
Pauldron
A piece of armor that protects the shoulder joint.
Peasant
An insult of social position.
Peledargent (French) Horse colors: "Silver-skin"
Penner
A leather belt pouch designed to carry pens, penknife
and inks.
Petard
An explosive charge used in seiges.
Piccardils
Stiffened strips of cloth to support a ruff on a
collar.
Pick
1. A hand weapon used to punture armor. 2. A
Battering Ram with a narrow point.
Piebald
Horse colors: Two different colors, strictly speaking
black and white. See also Skew Bald.
Pike
A very long lance or spear-like weapon.
Pillicock
(1) The penis. (2) A vulgar term for a boy.
Plainnesse
The use of Plain, well known terms
Points
1. Laces for tying clothes shut or together. 2. Horse
colors: The Mane, Tail, and most of the
legs. May also indicate the muzzle.
Poleyn
A piece of armor that protects the knee joint. Aka a
Couter, or in modern parlance, a "Knee
Cop")
Pomyle
Pommele (French) Horse colors: Marked with round
apple sized spots. See also Dappled.
Pon my honor/faith
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
Posset
A warming or medicinal drink.
Potch
Thrust
Pottage
Stew
Prating
An insult of an intellectual character
Prig
(c)(1)(2) To steal
Primero
A complex card game similar to poker.
Proud
An insult of social position.
Punk
(c) Prostitute.
Punkateero
(c) A purveyor of Punks, a Pimp.
Rascal
Rascally. An insult of social position.
Recreant
An insult of a moral nature
Recusant
Someone who breaks the law by not going to Church on
Sundays,
usually a Catholic.
Roan
Horse colors: A mixed color with a decided shade of
red. They may also have gray or white
spots, hence Ronsorel.
Roaring Boys
(c) Hooligans, Thugs
Rogue
Roguish. An insult of social position.
Ruffian
Ruffianly. An insult of social position.
Runagate
An insult of a moral nature
Rushlight
A cheap candle made by dipping a dried rush stem into
tallow (aka a "Tallow Dip")
Sabaton
(French) A Piece of Armor protecting the upper
surface of the foot.
Sack
Sherry
Sallet
A Type of Pot Helm.
Samite
A heavy Satin
Sauced Drink
Tobacco or food that have been "enhanced"
by the addition of herbs, such as the seeds and
leaves of the Hemp plant. A Netherlands vice brought
back by soldiers.
Scabbed
An insult of a health nature.
Screw
A form of battering ram with a twisting action to
increase damage.
Scurvy
An insult of a health nature.
Secretary Hand
The prevalent style of handwriting
Shallow
An insult of social position.
Sherrif
A royal official who lookas after the Crown's
business in a particular shire.The word was
originally "Shire Reeve".
Skewbald
Horse colors: Two different colors, generally large,
irregular patches of white on a
different colored background other than black and
white. See also Piebald.
Slave
An insult of social position.
So God mend me
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
Sonipes
Horse (poetic/literary term).
Sorel
Sor (French; English, Sorrel) Horse colors: A bright
chestnut color, reddish brown.
Spada
Spado. A gelding, or spayed horse.
Stays
Corsets, Bodices
Stews
A brothel
Stockfish
A form of fish dried to be stored forever.
Stomacher
A boned triangular peice of cloth, often embroidered,
pinned to the
front of the corsets.
Stoned Horse
Stallion.
Stud
A collection for the breeding of horses, now usually
centered on a stallion, but originally
on a group of mares kept for breeding.
Super-serviceable
An insult of social position.
Tarre
To provoke or incite
Tawny
Orange-Gold color
Tercio
Spanish equivalent of a Brigade (about 3000 men,
including pike and arqubusiers).
Tertian fever
Three day Malaria
Tester
Roof of a four poster bed.
Three-suited
An insult of social position.
Tithe
A tax paid to the Church, ormally one tenth of a
person's income.
Toad
A bestial insult
Tobacco
Introduced to England by Hawkins and as fashionable
(and early on as expensive as) Cocaine.
It was often cut with incense, or other herbs(see
Sauced).
Trained Bands
Company size groups that formed the bulk of the
English Military. They were essentially
regional Militia companies.
Traitor
Traitorous. An insult of a moral nature
Trencher
Dinner plate, early of bread, now of wood, silver, or
pewter.
Trucklebed
Small bed on wheels that was normally pushed under
another bed when not in use. Trundlebed.
Trull
Prostitute.
Trust me
A polite "oath", suitable for women and
children
Tunnage and Poundage men
Customs officers.
Upright Man
(c) Sturdy Begger or vagrant.
Vails
(North Midlands) Perks or Tips
Varius
(Latin; French, Vair) Horse colors: varicolored, or
variegated, white or gray with black
speckles.
Varlet
An insult of social position.
Varmint
Vermin
Veney
Playing a friendly practice fight with sticks, often
ending in broken bones.
Veney stick
A heavy stick, like a sledgehammer handle used for
sword practice.
Vile
An insult of social position.
Villain
Villainous. An insult of social position.
Whoreson
An insult of social position.
Winding up a jack
Winding the clockwork mechanism for turning a spit
for even cooking.
Worsted-stocking
An insult of social position.
Wretch
An insult of social position.
Writ
A legal document which could be obtained in order to
bring a case to court without the normal
lengthy preliminaries. The sale of writs was an
important source of income for the king's
household.
Yard
The Naughty bits of a Stallion.

Miscellaneous

Misc. forms of address:

Sir/Madam/Lady
Terms of respect or formality. used most often for
superiors and equals, and
characteristically used for those of knightly rank or
above.
Your worship/your ladyship
A term of respect, generally used by commoners for
men of substance.
Master/Mistress
Terms of respect, generally used by servants and
characteristically when addressing gentlemen
or women.
Lord
this word is used only of the titled aristocracy.
Man/Fellow/Woman
Used for commoners.
Sirrah
used for commoners of inferior status, or as an
insult.
Coz/Cousin
Used for relatives and close friends
Friend
Used for intimate friends and boon companions
Thou
The familiar form or "You", used for
inferiors and intimates in informal contexts. As the
object of a sentance (direct or indirect) it is
"thee". Possessive is "Thy" or "Thine"
(before a vowel)., You Used for equals,
superiors, and even inferiors in formal contexts.
Sir (Name)
Before a Christian name, denotes a knight or a
priest, before a surname denotes a university
graduate.
Master/Mistress (Name)
A title of courtesy, especially for persons of
substance or education, but also used of
comonners.
Goodman/Goodwife (name)
A title of courtesy for a commoner, expecially the
head of a household of yeoman class.

Salutations

Good Morrow/Day/Even, [God] Gi' you good day, What ho, How do you, [God] Save you, How
now, Farewells, God be wi' you, Fare [you] well,

Pronunciation:

Pronunciation of words in Elizabethan English is a complicated matter, since
linguistically it rests
between the "say what you see" rules of Middle English and the more esoteric
pronunciations of Modern
English. It isunreasonable to have the term cider pronounced zoiderr,
farmer/varmerr; House/hoos;
tea/tay; Grass/Grace/Graz; Creek/Crik. Also there are regional things to keep in
mind, for instance
in the East & North counties, final Rs are often dropped.

There are some things to keep in mind. "Y" does not always mean in 16th
Century English the same
thing that it does in modern English. For example, the words Ye and You would be
pronounced "the"
and "thou", while the words "foyre" and "yard" are, I
believe, pronounced "fire" and "yard". In other
words, this is a very tricky subject and you should be cautious. I have had suggested to
me a tape
called 'O for a muse of foyre', as well as some excellent resources listed in Jeffrey
Singman's Elizabethan Handbook and Daily Life in Elizabethan England.